STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN

We received word tonight that earlier today, Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest daughter Maria was killed in her driveway. One of their sons was backing out of the driveway and did not see her. She died at the hospital. Many family members witnessed the whole tragedy. I cannot imagine what the family is going through right now. Maria was adopted from China a few years ago. Please pray for the family.

Kate is Four!!!

Okay, I know you want to just eat her up with a spoon don't you??!?!? Kate turned 4 on May 19th! We have had to celebrated her special day about three different days. Enjoy the pictures!Oh how thankful to God I am for the precious woman who gave birth to this beautiful treasure 4 years ago. I say a special pray for her as she lives across the world.
So here is how all of the celebrating begun. When I asked Kate what kind of party she wanted, she said "blue" and Mal Mal. So, I called my friend Shelley only to find out that they could not come down the weekend of her birthday. However, since we went up there the weekend before for a dance competition, Jason and Shelley allowed us to party at their home. So, Kate's BLUE birthday went like this: She wore blue, we had blue tablecloth, plates and forks with napkins that had blue in them. We drank blue juice, ate pizza, decorated cupcakes with blue icing, blue sprinkles and blue candy fish. They ate (see above) blue jello frozen with fish (swedish fish that is) in it. Blue and pink dippin dots ice cream went with the ensemble. Oh, and her candles were blue too of course!
Karlee decorating her cupcake
Kate about to eat hers. Thanks Jason, Shelley and Mallory for letting us party with you!

The Sunday before her birthday we got together with family at the park for lunch and ice cream. Again, blue plates and stuff served us well. The water fountain had music with it and was playing some great classics. My mom and mom-in-law were dancing. See why they get along so well?
Kate dressed in blue, eating ice cream out of a blue cup. And please notice that one of the toppings I had- the entire bag of gummy bears is in her lap!!
Opening presents
Grandmother, Papa, Dada and Mimi enjoying a visit They just opened the park with the water fountain that you can run through. Emma and Karlee are soaked!
The fun of being an aunt- Amy pushed Kalie in the water
This is SO KATE!
CC and Papa gave her a new bike. She is just learning to ride it and now feels as big as the other girls!
Grandmother giving a little push

Papa, Kate, CC and Grandmother
Mimi, Kate and Dada
Kalie running with Kate through the fountain
Oh she is growing up and she is the best big sister!
I love this picture of Emma and Karlee. They had so much fun!
On her actual birthday, we went in to her room singing Happy Birthday. She was totally aware of her special day this year and enjoyed it with everything she has! She has wanted a leapster (aka DS) since Christmas. And yes, they make a blue cover. She enjoyed all of her presents so much and kept asking ME?? as in for me??? She got arts and crafts stuff, a robe, dvd's, clothes, pieces to her dollhouse, games and more. She also got a real fish! Yes, its name is Anna Claire after one of her most special friends in preschool and church. Anna Claire is still alive (3 days later) and the girls love watching her swim around! She is a little chubby fish from China!
We took chocolate chip cookie suckers to school. Here she is blowing out the candles.

Drew and I got Kate early from preschool and took her to another park and had lunch. We enjoyed this one on one time with her so much. We made silly faces, played in the fountain and had a picnic.
We closed her celebration with a trip to the town favorite ice cream shop. This child could eat her weight in ice cream. She had a chocolate malt! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATE!! We love you!

My Dad is 60!!!!

MY DAD TURNED 60 May 17th!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!
As we were taking pictures, I kept telling them to kiss each other! Well, they finally did one long enough for me to take the picture but then it kept going!!! We of course gave them the hardest time! And when my parents see this blog they will die! ha! Love you both!
We ALWAYS do banana splits for his birthday. They are so good! Dad made us promise no parties on his birthday, so we reluctantly agreed. We had a good time together celebrating his life!

RECITAL 2008

What a memorable recital this one was! First of all, Kalie has completed her 8th year of dance! This recital was my sister Amy's first recital as the dance teacher, Karlee danced her first recital and even my dad was in the recital! Keep scrolling for the details! ha!

Khloe and Kalie enjoyed dancing together this year.
Karlee is ready to dance!
The serious Kalie focused on getting ready...
Emma Drue, Emma and Karlee- these three had too much fun! ha!
Look closely- this is MY DAD! My dad has always wanted to play the piano. When the new fine arts academy started this past year, he took piano lessons. He practiced more than you can imagine- any teacher's dream student! He agreed to do the recital and performed ROCKY TOP!! Yes, for all my Tennessee family- he played Rocky Top dressed in a tailed tux with orange vest and tie!! The teacher told him to have some fun and so they came up with this! He did great! We were so proud!Drew giving Kalie her flowers...Karlee, Kalie and my dad with their flowers!
CC, Grandmother and Karlee

My mom gave my dad a dozen red roses! It was a fun recital. Everyone had fun and Amy has done a fabulous job this year with our girls!

Karlee's Last Game

This past Saturday was Karlee's last soccer game of the season. She has fallen in love with this sport. The entire time she has played, she has wanted to score a goal. Karlee likes for things to happen immediately and it has been hard trying to teach her about practicing, patience, etc. but it all paid off and clicked with her because in the last 5 minutes of the last game of the season, KARLEE KICKED A GOAL!!!! YEA!!! She is a soccer princess and I think I am now officially a soccer mom. WAY TO GO!She is too cute isn't she? My lens was too close but there is the kick, but you can't see her well.

Happy Mother's Day

Check out my mother's day treat from the girls!

Also, I want to say Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing women I know. To my mother in law, Charlotte, I live with the results of your mothering every day and I will never be able to put into words how blessed I feel. Thank you! To Grandmother- I miss our lunches now that I am at UNA! I love you and thank God for the beautiful influence you are! To Andrea- you are an amazing mom and I look forward to greeting Maela with a mighty HELLLLOOOOOOO!!!! Love you! And last but not least, to my MOM- I love you, thank God for you every day and am so thankful to celebrate with you. Sitting in your room just quietly visiting was the greatest way to spend the day!

The Untitled Post

Kalie's final dance competition of the season was this past weekend. Her lyrical solo was to the song "Come to Jesus." She has practiced every night on it and I can honestly say that we have never seen her dance it as full of grace and expression as she did Saturday. She received a gold medal but the best award was watching her feel good about her performance and not really being that interested in what the scores were. She knew she had done well because of how she felt about it, not because someone else thought so. I love this picture of her.
So why the name Untitled Post for this blog? Well, because about 4:45 AM Saturday, we received a phone call. We were staying at our friends home while my parents, sisters and family were at a hotel. My dad called to tell us that my mom was in SURGERY for an emergency appendectomy. We did not even know she was hurting! We chose not to tell Kalie before she danced. After her solo, we went to the hospital and visited. She came through surgery well and we are so thankful she is okay. She was discharged Saturday night and got home fine. What a weekend!

All of us with my mom. Anymore penguins or motocycles mom???
The show must go on! All group dances took gold as well. Kalie and Eloise did their duet as the final number and were tickled pink once again with their performance. They did great and scored gold as well!

We celebrated the dancers with a meal at the Rainforest Cafe. Here is Khloe and below is Kate acting somewhat normal ha!
and Karlee and Emma

Little Childhood Moments

Simple moments that make the day special

I don't remember what they were sharing here - a carrot maybe?
Running and sliding on the towel across the floor.
Good slide Karlee!
Kalie and Khloe having some time together on the trampoline.
Aren't those smiles awesome?!?!!
Kalie and her friend Mary Geer had set up a tent in our living room one night. Well, Karlee and Kate thought that was too cool. So the next night, all three climbed in and camped out.

Here they are again. They loved it!

Karlee Soccer Super Star

She's the dark headed one in the middle kicking the ball.
Another kick towards the goal.
Before a game. These are her "soccer pigtails" as she calls them.
Running down the field
Pink chin guards with the ball again.

Karlee truly loves soccer! We have enjoyed the Upward program so much. She wants to score a goal so badly. The last game, she was so close and a boy kicked it out. She has told everyone that she almost scored a goal but that boy kicked it out and that he was not being sweet! ha! Its hard to teach soccer assertiveness on the field but gentleness at home- ha! But, nevertheless, she is passionate about it and is a good little player.